Spring-switch.



D. D. SAMAIA.

SPRING SWITCH.

APPLIoA'rIoN FILED slm'. zo, 1910.

' 1,004,086.- Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

9 y lid l/ y f DINO DAVIDE SAMAIA, 0F VICENZA, ITALY.

SPRING-SWITCH.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

Application led September 29, 1910. Serial No. 584,540.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, DINO DAVIDE SAMAIA, a subject of the King of Italy,and a resident of Vicenza, Italy, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Spring-Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a mechanism by means of which the points canbe kept constantly displaced to one side, while these points remaincapable of being operated either by hand or automatically. Vhen theirdisplacement has been effected, the points are kept pressed against therails by means of an elastic pressure.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of the mechanism,and Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing theapplication of my device for actuating the tongue of a railway switch.

The actuating mechanism comprises a base 1 upon which is slidablymounted a draw-bar 2 adapted to be connected to the point or points tobe displaced. As shown in Fig. 3, the draw-bar is connected to alaterally movable tongue T of switch 1nech anism S, which comprises amain rail M and a guide rail G, and in connection with which theapplication of my device will be described. Iivoted to the support, bymeans of the pivot pin 3, is a cam 4 having substantially similar curvedcam surfaces 4a and 4b at either side of the axis of symmetry, and aconcave surface 13, the center of which is located in the axis ofsymmetry. The pivot pin is rigidly secured to the cam and is providedwith a head facilitating the turning of the cam by means of a toolhaving a coacting member to fit the head. The draw-bar is slotted asshown at 5 allowing the pivot pin to have bearing in the plate 1, thecam being disposed above the draw-bar and resting on an L-shapedprojection 1a of the support 1. The draw-bar is provided with laterallyextending lugs 2 between which is adapted to fit a detachable stud 6carried by the cam 4. The draw-bar has secured to its upper surfacesupports 7 and 8, which serve as guides for plungers 9 and 10respectively, which plungers are forced in the direction of the cam bymeans of springs 11 and 12 respectively.

The operation of t-he device is as follows :-When it is desired that theswitch tongue, moved by the flange of the car wheel running upon therail, remain in alternative position with the main rail or guide rail,the stud 6 is placed in a cam extending between the lugs 2u of thedraw-bar 2 as shown in Fig. 1. In this position, (Fig. 1), the tongue ofthe switching mechanism is located to the extreme left against the rail.Vhen spread by the flange of the car Wheel the draw-bar 2 moves in thedirection of the arrow, which through the stud 6 rotates the cam 4 tothe right, the plunger leaving the cam surface 4fl rides upon thesurface 4b, simultaneously the plunger 10 leaves the surface 4b andrides the surface 4, and the plungers, actuated by the tension springs11 and 12, cause a positive movement of the switch, to the right,holding it there until the tongue is again actuated by a car wheelflange, or the cam actuated manually through the pivot head 3, whereuponthe tongue turns to the left. Vhen it is desired that the switch tongueremain in operative relation to either the guide rail or main rail andnot alternate from one to the other, and yet provide means allowinglmovement of the tongue to accommodate the wheel lla-nge of cars movingin the opposite direction to the switch point, the stud G is removed andthe cam turned by means of the pivot pin until either plunger is locatedin the concave surface 13 of the cam with the longitudinal G/L of theplungers in line with the axis of symmetry of the cam, according to thedesired position of the switch ton ue. As an example, with reference toFig. 3, if it is desired that the switch locate next to the main rail,the cam is turned in the direction of the arrow until the plunger 10locates in the concave portion 13 of the cam, whereupon the plunger' 9,through the spring action and support 7, throws the draw-bar to thevright carrying with it t-he switch tongue, but allowing it toaccommodate the wheel flange through the resiliency of the spring 12.

I claim 1. The combination with a switch structure having a movabletongue, of switch actuating mechanism comprising, a support, a draw-barmovable thereon and operatively connected to said tongue, a cam pivotedat a fixed point, and plungers carried by said draw-bar pressing againstsaid cam to yieldably hold the switch tongue in operative relation tothe switch structure for switching purposes.

2. The combination with a switch structure having rails and a switchpoint, of switch actuating mechanism comprising, a support, a draw-barmovable thereon and operatively connected to said switch point, aneccentric cam pivoted to said support, spring actuated plungers disposedlongitudinally on said draw-bar pressing against said cam, meansoscillating said cam to change the switch point contact with the rails.

3. The combination with a switch structure having rails and a switchpoint, of

means for alternately changing the contact of the switch point with therails comprising, a base, a draw-bar movable thereon and operativelyconnected to said switch point, a cam pivoted vto said base, springactuated plungers carried by said draw-bar pressing against said cam,and means actuating said cam upon movement of the draw-bar to shift theeccentricity of the cam with relation to the plungers, substantially asdescribed and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with a. switch structure having rails and a switchpoint, of means for alternately changing the contact with the switchpoint with the rails comprising, a base, a draw-bar, having laterallyextending lugs, movable thereon and operatively connected to said switchpoint, a cam pivoted to said base, lplungers carried by said draw-barpressing against said cam, and a stud 'carried by said cam andprojecting between the lugs of said draw-bar, transmitting movement ofthe draw-bar to the cam and shifting its eccentricity with relation tothe plungers, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DINO DAVIDE SAMAIA.

I/Vitnesses:

FERDINANDO Gimnsi, GIUSEPPE GRIFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

